Chapter 16: The Gift
Fox limped his way over. He was tired, he was in pain and he knew he couldn't defeat Pyra. He might have some inkling of a chance if he were in perfect condition, but not as he was. But he still couldn't let Pyra get control. He couldn't. He wouldn't. So he kept limping. The blaster was dead so Fox tossed it over the edge of the stage. It erupted with a dull explosion.
He collapsed next to the Master Hand's ring finger and watched as Pyra messed with his ring. He ran a thumb over each panel and it began to glow. Fox pounded the ground for not being able to do anything.
But there is something you can do.
Fox jumped at the voice. But that only sent pain through his whole body. He fell to his knees again and clutched the Master Hand for support. Pyra flexed his fingers and rolled his wrist.
You must defeat Pyra. This time, Fox understood the voice to be coming from the Master Hand. You are the only one.
"But what can I do?" Fox asked in a whisper. "You and your brother weren't even capable of defeating him. The ring makes him too powerful."
Pyra gave a swipe of his right arm. Eight balls of white energy slew from his ring. They hit the ground and exploded, forming the eight absorbed Smashers. They were each rolling in pain and looked to be near death.
"My friends," Pyra said.
He is going to take us, the Master Hand said. Nothing can stop that now, even if all these Smashers rise against him here and now. They are all in too much pain. You must confront him once he has us.
"But I'm no better off then them," Fox said. "I can barely move."
That, I can help you with.
"I would just like to thank you all," Pyra said. "Each one of you played a key roll in my conquest of the two Hands you see pinned before you. With your help I have managed to defeat them both."
Hold on to me.
Fox did and the Master Hand began to glow slightly with a faint, blue light. Fox felt the warmth of the light as it moved across the Master Hand and into Fox's hands, spreading out over his body.
"And now I would like you eight to witness the absorption of the Hands and my rise to Tournament Ruler."
Pyra stuck his hand out to the Crazy Hand first. The white energy came and shot out at the defenseless hand. It wrapped around him and began to dissolve him, leaving nothing but a silver bloodstain and Marth's sword.
When the blue light had completely surrounded Fox, he felt the pain subside. It was slow at first, but soon the pain was gone completely. Then he began to feel more power. It seeped into his muscles, wrapped around his tendons, and flowed into his blood, setting it on fire with a radiant flame. Slowly, he regained sight in his left eye.
Pyra then moved over to the Master Hand. He didn't even look at Fox, who was crouching behind the middle finger. Pyra extended his hand and allowed the white energy to flow over the Master Hand's body.
Use that energy as best you can, the Master Hand said as the white energy consumed him.
Fox backed away, not wanting to be pulled in as well. Once the energy filtered into his ring Pyra's smug smile grew even bigger. He began to chuckle to himself as he felt the power he held. The chuckle grew into a manic laughter that stung the ears of the eight released Smashers. They each inched away from the thing that had imprisoned them.
Pyra continued to laugh as he floated into the air. He began to glow slightly with energy as he scanned the Smashers. He smiled wide at them. He floated over to them and landed. Fox got to his feet and ducked away, trying to make himself as small as possible on the flat surface of Final Destination.